Flask handling apparatus



y 1933. A. CAMEROTA FLASK HANDLING APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l I INVENTOR: Lazzzsflmmeim ag BY I I l 1 (TTORNEYS.

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May 1933- A. CAMEROTA 1,911,106

FLASK HANDLING APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES I N V EN TOR:

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May 23, 1933- L. A. CAMEROTA FLASK HANDLING APPARATUS Filed May 6, P931 3 Sheets-Sheet WITNESSES TTORNEYS.

Patented May 23, 1933 UETED STATES PATENT F-FICE LOUIS A. GAMER/UTA, OF BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO HALTER WOOD, 0F

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PENNQYLVANIA FLAfiK HANDLING APPARATUS This invention relates to flask handling apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for positioning flasks in alignment with mold disintegrating means. The invention is especially applicable to the art of casting hollow cylindrical bodies, such as iron pipe, in unitary sand-lined flasks; and the hereinafter described embodiment of the invention is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with means for freeing a casting from its surrounding mold, such as described in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,774,082, granted to me on August 26, 1930.

One object of the invention is to provide a flask carrier, preferably of a rotary type, for receiving flasks, positioning them for a mold disintegrating operation and discharging them after the operation has been complcted, thus materially reducing the labor involved in carrying out this step in the process of manufacturing cast iron pipes or like articles.

Another object of the invention is to com bine with a flask carrier of the type referred to, dust collecting means adapted to substantially surround the carrier and to carry oi the fine dust resulting from the mold disintegrating operation without obstructing the progression of flasks to and from the carrier.

Another object of the invention is to combine with a rotary flask carrier of the type referred to a conveyor for progressing a series of flasks to the place at which the rotary carrier is located and for successively discharging flasks into the rotary carrier.

Other more specific objects and advantages characterizing my invention will be come more fully apparent from the detailed description of one embodiment or example thereof, which follows hereinafter, and which has reference to the accompanying drawings, whereof:

Fig. I represents an end elevation of a flask carrier at a mold disintegrating station wherein pipes are freed from unitary cylindrical flasks of varying sizes, the mold disintegrating means being shownvat the right hand side of the figure.

Fig. II represents a cross section of the same, taken as indicated by the lines IIII of Fig. I.

Fig. III represents a plan view of the flask carrier of Fig. I with the mold disintegrating means removed, and showing a conveyor for moving pipe flasks by successive steps into the flask carrier.

Fig. IV represents a side elevation, partly in section, of the flask carrier and conveyor.

Fig. V represents a cross section, taken as indicated by the line VV of Fig. I, and showing the stop mechanism usedfor regulating the movement of the flask carrier.

Fig. VI represents an enlarged cross section of a portion of the flask conveyor, taken as indicated by the lines VIVI of Fig. III; and, i

Fig. VII represents a similar view with parts of the conveyor moved to alternate,

positions.

The apparatus shown in the drawings comprises generally a rotary carrier comprehensively designated at 1, mold disintegrating means similarly designated at 2, flask conveying apparatus similarly designated at 3, and a discharge table 4. The flask carrier is in the form of a cylindrical rotor having a horizontal axle 5 to which are attached two radially disposed partitions 6 in the form of plates extending longitudinally along the axle 5 and intersecting each other at right angles to each other, the partitions defining four sections or pockets designated at A, B, C and D. The ends of the rotor axle 5 are journaled in bearings 7 and 8 which in turn are respectively supported on the pedestals 9 and 10. T'ransversely extending through the sections or pockets of the rotor -1 there are partitions 11 having a polygonal opening 12 at each ofthe four pockets. The edges 13, 14, 15,16,17 and 18 of these openings support the cylindrical pipe flasks 19 during their admission into the rotary carrier, during the revolution of the carrier, and during their discharge from the carrier.

The rotor 1 may be revolved by means of a motor 20. In the present instance the motor 20 is connected to the rotor axle 5 through a Geneva stop motion, shown in detail in Fig. V. The motor shaft 21 has thereon a driver 22 which carries a pin 23. Keyed to the rotor axle 5 there is a wheel 24 having four slots 25 disposed radially and open at their ends. As the driver turns, the pin 23 will enter into one of the slots 25 of the wheel 24 and cause the wheel to make a quarter turn whereupon the pin 23 will emerge from the slot and the driver will continue to complete one revolution without further motion of the wheel 24. During the interim while the pin 23 is disengaged, the cam 26 on the driver engaging an arcuate surface 27 of the wheel 24 prevents the wheel from turning, thus in effect operating as a brake. It will be seen that for every complete revolution of the motor shaft 21 there will be effected a quarter turn of the rotor axle 5, and there will be a stop period with the motor shaft turning and the rotor shaft at rest. A controller for the motor 20 is diagrammatically shown at 28.

The flasks 19 are conveyed to the rotor 1 in the presence instance by means of skids 29 and 30 with their top surfaces notched to form inclined planes. There are two sets of skids arranged in parallel spaced formation and leading directly to the rotor 1. One skid 29 of each set is stationary whereas the other skid 30 is adapted to be reciprocated with respect to the stationary member. The reciprocatory movement of the movable skids 30 with respect to the stationary skids 29 is effected by means of a hydraulic cylinder 31 disposed between the supports 32 and 33 of the conveying apparatus. Connected to a cross head 34 on the plunger of the hydraulic cylinder 31, there are a pair of spaced connecting rods 35. These connecting rods 35 are attached to a transverse shaft 36 which in turn is pivotally connected with the arms 37 of bell crank levers 38. The other arms 39 of the bell crank levers 38 are pivotally connected to a transverse shaft 40 carried on the movable skids 30. An additional transverse shaft 41 serves as a fulcrum for the bell crank levers 38 and is supported by means of a pair of curved brackets 42. Extending forward from the bell crank levers 38 are additional connecting rods 43 attached at one end to the shaft 36 and at the other end to the arms 44 of bell crank levers 45. The latter pair of bell crank levers 45 are fulcrumed on a shaft 46 supported by brackets 47. Their arms 48 are pivotally connected to a shaft 49 carried on the movable skids 30.

Accordingly, reciprocatory movement of the connecting rods 35 and 43 causes the movable skids 30 to be elevated from the position shown in Fig. VI to the position shown in Fig. VII in which they project above the top edges of the stationary skids 29. This transfers the series of flasks 19 initially supported as shown in IV, in the notches 50 of the stationary skids to the inclined surfaces 51 of the movable skids. The flasks 19 then roll down on the inclined surfaces 51 into the notches 52 of the movable skids. Vith each actuation, therefore, of the hydraulic cylinder 31 the series of flasks 19 are moved a predetermined distance along the conveying apparatus, and the spaced relation between each flask 19 and its neighbor is preserved.

The use of notched skids to progress the pipe flasks 19 is particularly desirable. Whereas flasks will not roll true for any appreciable distance on parallel rails but will tend to jamb, the reciprocatory skids herein described insure the maintenance of the axis of each pipe flask in a position perpendicular to the skids, for as each pipe flask rolls down an inclined plane into a notch any tendency to swerve is corrected when the flask strikes the abruptly inclined surface at the notch. The flasks are provided with flanges 53 which guide their movement on the skids 29 and 30.

The openings 12 in the transverse partitions 11 of the rotor 1 are so formed that as a flask 19 is discharged from the conveying apparatus, it rolls by gravity along guide surfaces 13 into a pocket where it assumes the position shown in Fig. 11 at pocket A. As the rotor turns in a clockwise direction, the flask is automatically centered between the surfaces 15 and 16 of the partitions 11, as shown at pocket B (or, if the flask be of a larger size, it will be centered by means of the surfaces 14 and 17). lVhen a flask 19 has been received into the rotor 1 and has been turned to the position shown at pocket B, it is ready for the mold disintegrating operation. V

The apparatus for disintegrating the mold is indicated at 2. It comprises a pair of blow pipes 54 communicating with a compressed air supply and adapted to be progressed along a table 55 by means of a motor 56 on a wheeled carriage 57. The wheeled carriage 57 is supported on rails 58 on the top of the table 55. The blow pipes 54 are guided in their movement by rollers 59 mounted on the pedestal 10. \Vhen the wheeled carriage 57 moves forward the blow pipes 54 pass through holes 60 in the circular disk 61 which forms that end of the rotor 1 which is nearest to the wheeled carriage. The circular disk 61 at the other end of the rotor 1 is imperforate. As the wheeled carriage 57 is further progressed, the blow pipes 54 penetrate the annular sand lining within the flasks 19 and disintegrate the same in the manner described in my pending Patent No. 1,774,082, referred to above. The disintegration of the sand lining by means of the blow pipes 54 frees the pipe castings 62 from their surrounding flasks 19 to such an extent that the matter of removing the pipe castings from their flasks can be accomplished in a later operation by comparatively simple mechanism which is not shown in the drawings,

and which in the present instance is located at a separate station.

The operation of the flask handling apparatus of this invention is as follows: As-- suming that the rotor 1 is empty and that four pipe flasks 19 rest on the stationary skids 29, one of these flasks resting in that notch which is nearest to the rotor 1, the operator admits pressure to the hydraulic cylinder 31. This causes the pair of movable skids 30 to be elevated above the level of the top surface of the stationary skids 29, and causes each pipe flask to roll down the inclined planes 51 into the notches 52, except in the case of the flask nearest the rotor which is caused to roll by gravity off the movable skids 30 onto the edges 13 of thepartitions 11 into the pocket A, the edges 13 being aligned with the skids 30. Before a second reciprocatory movement of the movable skids 30 is effected, the pressure in the hydraulic cylinder 31 is cut oif.

Thereupon the rotor 1 is revolved a quarter turn by starting the motor 20. After the motor 20 has, by means of the Geneva stop motion, turned the rotor 1 through a quarter of a revolution, and before the motor shaft 21 has completed a full revolution, the motor 20 is stopped. The first flask admitted into the rotor is then in the position shown atpocket B and is centered by means of the surfaces 15 and 16 of the partitions 11. At this point the hydraulic cylinder 31 is again operated and a second flask is admitted into the rotor at the pocket A. It will be noted that the rotor is restrained against movement by means of the braking effect of the Geneva stopmotion, in which the cam 26 en gages an arcuate surface 27. The flask in pocket B is now ready for the mold disintegrating operation. This is accomplished by moving the wheeled carriage 57 by means of the mot-or 56 to a point where the blow pipes 5e penetrate through the holes 60 in the end disk 61 of the rotor 1 and penetrate further into the sand lining at the end of the flask. Thereupon compressed air is adinitted to blow pipes 54 and the wheeled carriage 57 is further progressed with the air on until the blow pipes have been forced substantially through the length of the flask. As described in my patent previously referred to, this causes a slotting of the sand lining sufllcient to break down the tenacious grip which it holds upon the pipe casting, and initiates the disintegration of the mold to an extent that the pipe casting may be easily forced in a longitudinal direction through the flask.

The mold disintegrating operation having been completed, the rotor 1 is again given a quarter turn by starting and stopping the motor 20. This causes the flask, which has been first admitted into the rotor, to be revolved to pocket C Where it is free to roll along the surfaces 18 of the partitions 11 onto the discharge table 4. At the same time the sand which has accumulated at pocket B rolls down the longitudinal partition 6 into the sand bin 63 beneath the rotor. At this time also, the second flask admitted into the rotor 1 is positioned at pocket B for a similar mold disintegratingoperation. Also a third flask is admitted at pocket A by an actuation of the hydraulic cylinder 31.

The various operations are repeated until the lot of pipe flasks have undergone the mold disintegrating operation and have all been transferred to the discharge table 4. It will be noted that upon each actuation of the rotor 1, one flask is received at pocket A, another flask is positioned in alignment with the mold disintegrating means at pocket B, and still another flask is discharged from the rotor at pocket 0. The handling of the flasks is therefore accomplished entirely by mechanical means, and the operator has only to attend to the control of the hydraulic cylinder 31 for the flask conveying operation, of the motor 20 for the rotor turning operation, of the motor 56 forthe progression of the blow pipes 54 in the mold disintegrating operation, and of the valve (which is not shown) by which air is supplied to the blow pipes 54.

Above the rotor l, I preferably provide a hood6a, the sides of which substantially embrace one pocket of the rotor. At the top of this hood there is shown an exhaust trunk 65 which may be connected to a suction fan. The fine sand stirred up in pocket B during the mold disintegrating operation iscarried off through the exhaust trunk 65. Beneath the rotor 1 the sand bin 63' terminates in a narrow neck portion 66 at which a gate 67 is provided. If the flask handling apparatus be positioned on an upper level of the foundry in which it is used, and if the preparation of the molding sand be performed on a lower level, this arrangement conveniently enables the sand collected in the bin 63 to be discharged directly downward to the station at which it is prepared for further use in making up new molds.

The discharge table shown at i in the present example of my invention constitutes merely a pair of inclined rails. Of course, it will be apparent that it may be desirable to substitute a second conveying apparatus of the same nature as'that shown at 3 for the discharge table so that the flasks may be carried ontothe next station by an automatic operation.

l/Vhile'I have described one example or form which my invention may take, it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form of the flask carrier, the flask conveying apparatus, the mold disintegrating means, and various other parts of the complete apparatus withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention as defined in the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In apparatus of the character described, a flask carrying rotor comprising a horizontally disposed axle, plates extending longitudinally therealong and intersecting each other at said axle, thereby forming a pluralof pockets for the reception of cylindrical flasks, and partitions extending transversely across said pockets at spaced intervals, said partitions having oppositely inclined surfaces in each pocket for supporting a flask horizontally therein, and said inclined surfaces serving to center a flask automatically in the pocket as the rotor is turned.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a flask carrying rotor comprising a horizontally disposed axle, plates extending longitudinally therealong and intersecting each other at said axle, thereby forming a plurality of pockets for the reception of cylindrical flasks, and partitions extending transversely across said pockets at spaced inter-- vals, said partitions having polygonal openings affording sets of oppositely inclined surfaces in each pocket for supporting flasks of varying sizes horizontally therein, and said inclined surfaces serving to center a flask automatically in the pocket as the rotor is turned.

8. In apparatus of the character described, a flask carrying rotor comprising a horizontally disposed axle, plates ext-ending longitudinally therealong and projecting radially from said axle, thereby forming a plurality of pockets for the reception of cylindrical flasks, partitions extending transversely across said pockets at spaced intervals for supporting the flasks horizontally therein, and plates disposed transversely of said axle near the ends thereof, one of said plates having openings therein leading to the rotor pocket and adapted to receive a mold disintegrating device; means for revolving said rotor; and means for causing the rotor to come to rest after a predetermined fraction of a revolution, whereby the openings aforesaid may be successively brought to alignment with the mold disintegrating device.

a. In apparatus of the character described, a flask carrying rotor comprising a horizontally disposed axle, plates extending longitudinally therealon and projecting radially from said axle thereby forming a plurality of pockets for the reception of cylindrical flasks, partitions extending transversely across said pockets at spaced intervals, said partitions having oppositely inclined surfaces in each pocket for supporting and centering a flask horizontally therein, and having plane surfaces leading to said inclined surfaces and serving as guides upon which flasks may be rolled into and out of said pockets.

5. In apparatus of the character described, a flask carrying rotor comprising a horizontally disposed axle, plates extending longitudinally therealong and projecting radially from said axle, thereby forming a plurality of pockets for the reception of cylindrical flasks, spaced partitions extending transversely across said pockets for supporting the flasks horizontally therein, said partitions having oppositely inclined surfaces in each pocket for centering a flask therein and having guide surfaces leading thereto and means for revolving said rotor, and means for causing the rotor to come to rest after a predetermined fraction of a revolution in a position in Which said guiding surfaces Will be inclined downward to permit flasks to be rolled into and out of certain of the pockets by gravity, and in which said oppositely inclined surfaces will automatically cause the centering of a flask in another pocket.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Florence, New Jersey, this 30th day of April, 1931.

LOUIS A. CAMEROTA. 

